RESEARCH PAPER on The Digital Divide

The purpose of this project is to demonstrate your understanding of the following course concepts:

1. How
   companies or organizations and individuals use digital or social media
   to effectively communicate ideas, information, arguments, and messages
   to achieve a specific goal.
2. How digital or social media has transformed the communication of idea, information, and arguments in society.
3. Access, analyze, interpret, and evaluate digital media to foster learning and to guide decision-making.
4. Make
   responsible choices in the creation and consumption of digital media
   based on awareness of global, social, ethical, and legal contexts.1.. The following is course material that we went over in class: Digital Divides 2016 | Pew Research Center http://www.pewinternet.org/topics/digital-divide/2017
   2. Aleph Molinari: Let’s bridge the digital divide! (TED Talk video) https://www.ted.com/talks/giorgia_lupi_how_we_can_… SECTION 1: SELECT ONE TOPIC FROM THE 14 TOPICS LISTED ABOVE
   Answer the questions below:
   Item 1: Which topic did you select?
   Item 2: Why does this topic appeal to you?
   NOTE 1: Section 1 should be the shortest section of your paper (10-15%).
   SECTION 2: SUMMARIZE THE TOPIC YOU SELECTED USING CLASS RESOURCES
   Discuss your topic as presented in class.
   Item 1:
   Summarize the information on the topic as presented in the class, using
   the Read & Watch resources AND any classroom discussion of the
   topic.
   Item 2: Is the topic you selected relevant in a course on digital and social media? Whether you answer yes or no, justify your answer.
   Section 2 Sources: Include the source(s) as an in-paper citation and on your References page.
   NOTE 2: Section 2 should comprise (30-40%) of your paper.

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   SECTION 3: CONDUCT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON THE TOPIC
   Provide additional information on the topic you selected by locating TWO or MORE new resources (in addition to the resources provided in class) to expand your knowledge of the topic.
   
   Item 1: What additional sources did you find on the topic you selected (list at least 2)?
   Item 2: Why is each resource you found (a) relevant, (b) credible, (c) accurate, and (d) unbiased based on what you learned from the What is a Credible Source? How to Evaluate Web Resources? Address a-d in your answer.
   Item 3: What new information do the two new resources contribute to the topic as presented in class?
   
   Section 3 Sources: Include at least TWO SOURCES
   related to your topic that are NOT presented, discussed, or posted in
   the weekly Read & Watch in class or posted in the 15 topic list
   above. Include these sources as in-paper citations and list them on your
   References page.
   NOTE 3: Section 3 should comprise the majority of your paper (45-60%). This is where your primary focus should be.Paper Requirements
   1. Your paper must follow APA format guidelines throughout.
   (A
   sample APA template for you to use is attached to the bottom of this
   page. It contains Latin placeholder text. Replace the text with your
   content).

5. Double-spaced
6. 1-inch Margins
7. 12-point size professional font (e.g. Times New Roman).
8. Header
9. Automatic Page numbers
10. Title page
11. Reference page

2. Length: Minimum of 1,500
(Title page, Reference page, and direct quotes do not count toward the total word count).

NOTE 4: Going over 1,500 words is fine, but if you are under 1,500 you will be penalized based on the following scale:

4. Title Page
Your title page must be APA formatted and include the following:

1. Project Name
2. Your Name
3. Course Name and Section Number
4. Semester
5. Instructor’s Name
6. Title of Research Paper Topic

5. References Page
Your References page must be APA formatted.

6. Sources: Include the source(s) from Section 2 and at least TWO (2) sources in Section 3.

Clarification: Please do not use
unprofessional sources such as Wikipedia, About.com, Answers.com,
Dictionary.com, How.com, or anything remotely similar. Examples of scholarly sources
include textbooks, articles, academic journals, and conference
proceedings. Scholarly resources are written by experts in their fields,
grounded in research, and often refereed (reviewed and edited by
researchers in the field). Examples of professional sources
include: trade journals or magazines. Professional sources are written
for a specific audience that works in certain field. They are not
research-based. You can also use our course content (e.g. Read &
Watch resources) as a source as well. UMUC has a top-notch, extensive
online library. You can find many scholarly and professional sources
there.

NOTE 5: You can also
use social media (e.g. Twitter posts, blogs, YouTube) sources as well
as this is a paper about the use of digital and social media.

7. Setup & Organization
Your paper must include the following pages and Level 1 Headings:

1. Cover Page
2. Topic Introduction (Section 1)
3. Topic Discussion (Section 2)
4. Additional Research (Section 3)
5. Reference Page
   

APA Resources
UMUC’s Effective Writing Center offers several resources for APA formatting and citation style.

1. APA 6^th Manuscript Formatting
   http://polaris.umuc.edu/ewc/apa6th/apa6th.html
2. All About APA – Complete Guide
   http://polaris.umuc.edu/ewc/web/all_about_apa.html
3. CiteFast Citation Maker for APA
   http://www.citefast.com/?s=APA An example is attached.